Months after its release, SB19 and JOLIN’s “Emoji” has reached another international platform.
The song is among the entries listed for Song of the Year – Overseas during the 2026 Weibo Music Awards’ online recommendation stage. Voting began on September 1 and will continue until September 13.
The group is gaining more international attention, while “Emoji” gives Chinese listeners a familiar connection through JOLIN, one of the biggest names in Chinese-language pop.
“Emoji” Continues to Find New Platforms
Released on March 27 as part of SB19’s second studio album, Wakas at Simula, “Emoji” debuted at No. 62 on the Billboard Philippines Hot 100. It also reached No. 24 on the publication’s Top Philippine Songs chart.
SB19 later performed the song at Global Spin Live at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles on July 28. The event included a conversation about the group’s career and a special performance.
The appearance was part of the GRAMMY Museum’s showcase for artists from around the world, rather than the Grammy Awards themselves. It gave SB19 another international platform to discuss their journey and perform their music.
None of these moments on its own made “Emoji” SB19’s biggest hit. Together, however, they have kept the song visible beyond its original release period. The Weibo nomination now places it within a Chinese music conversation.
JOLIN Was More Than a Featured Artist
SB19 and JOLIN first connected after appearing at the 2025 Hito Music Awards in Taipei. SB19 performed at the ceremony, while JOLIN appeared as its closing act. The group later invited her to join Wakas at Simula.
JOLIN did more than contribute vocals. She helped write the song, appeared in its official music video and performed its choreography alongside SB19.
She described their first online creative sessions as feeling like a blind date because neither side knew exactly where the collaboration would lead. They eventually found common ground in a subject many people understand: using emojis to hide feelings that are difficult to express.
“Emoji” explores the difference between what people show online and what they actually feel. Its Brazilian funk-inspired rhythm gives that idea a playful, performance-driven sound.
The song was written by Felip Jhon Suson, John Paulo Nase, JOLIN, Joshua Daniel Nase and Chendy. It was produced by Felip Jhon Suson and Luke April, with Luke April also handling the mixing and Emil Dela Rosa handling the mastering.
With Felip involved in both songwriting and production and Pablo, credited under his full name John Paulo Nase, among the writers, SB19 retained a clear creative role in the collaboration. New listeners are not only hearing the group perform. They are also hearing music its members helped create.
What It Could Mean for P-pop
JOLIN’s presence can bring Chinese listeners to “Emoji,” but SB19 still has to give them a reason to explore further. Their live vocals, performance ability, self-produced music and use of Filipino language and culture offer that next step.
This is also where the nomination could matter for P-pop, or Filipino pop music, as a whole.
International collaborations can help Filipino artists reach listeners who may not actively search for P-pop. When the partnership feels balanced, audiences can discover the Filipino artist’s identity instead of seeing them as a temporary guest in someone else’s market.
“Emoji” achieves that balance. JOLIN brings recognition among Chinese-speaking audiences, while SB19 brings its own writers, producer and performance style.
The Weibo Music Awards nomination does not prove that SB19 has already established itself in China. It does, however, place the group before more people who may know JOLIN but have never explored Filipino pop.
The real value of “Emoji” will be seen in whether that first introduction leads them toward more of SB19’s music and, eventually, the wider P-pop scene.
